1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of consumer product traceability, and more specifically to unit-level traceability for products such as fresh produce.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a problem with contaminated food arises, a significant issue is identifying the source of the contamination. With contaminated produce, being able to quickly identify the growers and the specific fields that are the source of the contamination is important to enable prompt remedial action to protect the public health and to restore public confidence in the food supply chain. It is also desirable to be able to easily identify which produce is affected and which is safe. Restoring public confidence and being able to readily identify unaffected produce help prevent large declines in sales volumes and the unnecessary destruction of substantial amounts of safe produce.
Presently, the complex and global supply chain makes the process of identifying the sources of the contaminated produce slow and cumbersome.